


Got a Grip on You

by SilentAvera



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Comfort, Gary is big big big baby when his defenses are down, Ice Skating, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 07:50:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9063049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentAvera/pseuds/SilentAvera
Summary: What better way to de-stress your boyfriend then to spontaneously drag him somewhere out in the middle of a cold night in Kanto? Gary would beg to differ that this is ultimately "distress."





	

**Author's Note:**

> For the 2016 Palletshipping Secret Santa! :D My gift is to Thatdoodlebug who wanted "Something with gary blushing/embarrassed in a cute kind of way", I hope you like it :3

“Aaaaaaaaash.”

“Gaaaaaaaaary~ Just follow me, its okay, they know me, and its okay if its me.”

“I thought you don’t like special favors” –

“Yeah well, this place has THE BEST ice cream, and who am I to say no to that?”

“When it’s cold out, like really _cold_ – and it’s the after-hours of a big theme park and every corner is screaming ‘prime axe murderer hiding location.’”

Ash turned back to Gary just before he entered the hole in the gate with a sling smile, “Don’t worry, _I’ll protect you.”_

Gary sighed, his breath showing clearly in the cold as he followed Ash through the gate and into the desolate theme park, the dark, barely any lights on, shadows in every corner, hollow wind blowing theme park.

Gary hid his nervous gulp from Ash, “Okay, we’re here, now what?”

“Follow me,” Ash held out his hand for Gary to take, which, he did. Ash led him down through the main walkway of the park, Gary feeling like a monster of some paranormal concoction was at the ready to jump out at them at any moment. Looking to his right, the sudden appearance of a statue of a menacing Tyranitar with broken shadows and hollow eyes made him jump without an ounce of self-control; Ash squeezed his hand in return, “Yeah, that statue got me too the first time I saw it, it’s the entrance to the Rock Slide Rollercoaster and _man,_ that one is a _doozy.”_

 _“Can we just get to where we’re going,”_ Gary said on the cusp of losing his temper.

“Don’t worry, we’re almost there, come on, right over here.”

Ash led Gary down a branching walkway and up towards a large building with its windows all shuttered with metallic blinds.

“Oh good,” said Gary dryly, “This is exactly how I want to spend whatever time off I’ve managed to scrape together with you – being led into a big dark building in the middle of the night with” –

With as long as Ash had known Gary, he knew when to tune out his verbal tantrums since they were just that, and, Ash knew that as soon as Gary saw what Ash had in store in for him, that Gary would promptly, _promptly_ change his tune.

Ash opened the suspiciously unlocked door to the building, and led Gary, hand in hand, back through the front-desk counter, out the manager’s booth, he turned on several switches bringing electricity and life to the dark atmosphere, led Gary out into the open and –

“ – I just want to go home and go to bed, I’ve got…..got….” Gary blinked, then raised a questioning eyebrow, “You, took me to an _ice skating rink?”_

Ash only answered Gary with a smile, he let go of his hand, disappeared behind a bench and brought out two boxes, “Lets see, your shoe size is about a men’s 8, sooooo these skates should fit you best, try ‘em on, there are other boxes back there just in case, like, they said you should feel snug in them, but not super snug.”

But Gary just stood there, somewhat frozen, and Ash’s grin slipped a notch, “Um, surprise? What’s wrong?”

Gary crossed his arms, “How did they let you do this?”

Ash rolled his eyes, “I told you, they like me, aaaaaand I kinda saved their lives about a year ago – long story short, legendary pokemon was being a butt and I made it stop being a butt before it could level this place and everyone in it, soooooooooo, I kinda have a free pass here to do whatever I want, so, I’m going to spoil my boyfriend – I KNOW you’ve been wanting to try ice skating, but also how self conscious you are when you just don’t ace anything upfront – and like, in ice skating, you are going to fall, _and a lot,_ and so, I thought this would be best so you could get a feel for the ice without anyone looking.”

By now Gary's subtle smile at Ash made the heat in Ash's face flush to the point that he thought the ice might melt from it. Gary let his hands drop to the side, “Just give me those skates already.”

Ash's grin snapped back at full force, “Sure! Here,” Ash then plopped down and snagged a pair for himself, taking his shoes off and fitting the skates on, lacing them up, “I already know my size, I’m pretty decent at skating myself, but by no means an expert!”

“When did you learn?”

“Oh a long time ago, here, let me lace your’s up for you, these feel good?”

“Yeah, they feel pretty good.”

Ash laced up Gary’s skates, and in the sudden silence between them, but not at all awkward or tense, Ash could feel a sense of timidity, of exposure from Gary, something ever so slightly raw. Ash tugged on the laces, finishing up the other skate and looked to Gary, “Nervous?”

“How am I going to stand on these two tiny blades?”

“Practice, besides, I’m here, okay, you’re all set, now watch me.”

Ash moved back from Gary sitting on the bench, Gary leaving his legs to loosely support the skates that suddenly felt like lead. He watched Ash stand up with ease, Gary looked down at Ash's feet, heeeeeeee was _indeed_ standing on those two thin blades; it looked like some sort of visual paradox.

Ash rubbed the back of his head, “We really should be wearing the guards when we’re off the ice, but we’re about to get on it so I don’t think it’ll hurt anything, I mean everywhere around is rubber flooring so” –

“Ash, I’m sorry, I’m not so sure about this,” Gary tried putting pressure on the blades to stand but everything inside screamed ‘you’re about to get a broken ankle if you stand.’

“I thought so too at first,” said Ash, “But then I saw these little, little kids doing it, and if they can do it, so can we! C’mon Gary, there’s no one here but me, it’s okay.”

Gary took a deep inhale, put more pressure on the skates, rocked up once, rocked up again, _“Give me your hands,”_ said Gary a bit more sternly than he’d like, Ash took his hands, Gary put pressure on one leg – feeling about as wobbly as a newborn Ponyta – then put pressure on the other leg – and Ash yanked Gary up all the way, their face inches from each other –

_“ASH” –_

_“Stand, stand,_ lean on me, you’ve got this, c’mon Gary, that’s it, it’s okay, just lean on me, I’ve got you, _bend, bend your knees a little,_ a little there, easy, easy, good, good! There you go, there you go! You’re doing it Gary! You’re standing! You’re standing!” –

“Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygooooo _ooood-d-d-don’tyoudareletgoofme”_ –

“Never, not in a million years, I’ve got you.”

Gary was utterly shaking, trembling by Ash’s side as Ash held him, and was going to hold him for as long as possible, but frankly blurted, “So! You about ready to get on the ice?”

Gary looked up at Ash with a look that read, ‘BITE ME.’ Ash chuckled and rubbed their noses together, “You’re so cute like this, you know that right?”

_“Bite me Ash Ketchum” –_

“Maybe later tonight, if we survive this first.”

_“UGH.”_

“Come on, give me one step, just one” –

_“Don’t you move away from me” –_

“Come ooooon Gaaary, I’m mooooving awaaaaaaay~”

“ASH. KETCHUM, DON’T. YOU. DARE.” –

By now Gary was bent over about as far as he could go while still clinging to Ash who had taken two big steps back – Gary’s legs were wobbling so hard, something would have to give – and Gary took one – two – three steps into Ash before Ash had to catch him before he fell –

 _“I’ve got you, I’ve got you, I’ve got you,_ get your balance again, come on, good, good” –

“I hate you so much” –

“I love you too Gary, balance now, come on, there, there you go, get your feet back under you.”

Gary pushed himself up off of Ash a bit roughly and stood straight up, his arms flailing about before coming to a hovering perch. The tremble in his legs had gone down about a fraction, but Ash could see that Gary was working out the kinks of how to balance on the skates.

“Can you believe people actually jump and spin and dance while wearing these?” said Ash.

 _“They’re all crazy,”_ Gary spat hanging onto his balance without Ash’s help.

Ash chuckled again, “C’mon, lets get you out onto the ice” –

“I’m gonna die, _Ash” –_

Gary held out a hand to Ash, but Ash walked back and took a step out onto the ice, slowly sliding backwards and away from Gary, showing the extreme jump of difficulty Ash was asking of Gary to go from a rubbery gripping surface to a very slippery one.

 _“Ash”_ – Gary hissed through grit teeth –

“I’m over here Gary,” said Ash putting his hands behind his head, “If you want to get to me, you’re going to have to come out on to the ice.”

Gary took another step, then another – he grabbed the siding – took a step out on the ice and down he went, his legs slipping out from under him in opposite directions, planting him right on his bottom.

“I told you, you’re going to fall, and its okay, c’mon, pick yourself back up.”

Gary swung his legs out in front him, feeling like he had just run a marathon, but all he had done was stand! He crossed his arms and glared at Ash, “No, never mind this, I’m done. Done!”

It was Ash’s turn to sigh, “Geeze, when you get pouty, you get _p-o-u-t-y.”_

Gary just huffed, holding his stance, “I’m not moving.”

“Then just watch me, I know you can observe.” Ash kicked off and began to skate on the ice, slowly, casually, just as a recreational skater would. There was no hurry in his movement, no rushing, just a push here, push there, skating with one leg, then the other, back and forth, back and forth. Ash held out his arms, “Look at me Gary! I’m a Braviary! CAW CAW!” Ash laughed at himself, and Gary had to fight his face to not smile, since he was still pouting, “Wo-AHOAH” – and Ash himself fell, rolling onto his side, “Ow, ow, mh, see? You’re gonna fall, and that’s okay!” Ash placed his hands on the side of his foot, gathered the other leg under him and pushed up, getting his balance on the ice back, “You just get back up! And off I gooooooo~!” Ash kicked off and began to skate again.

By now whatever pout Gary had, had fallen off. He looked down at his own legs, and moved them under him to where he was sitting on his knees. He tried to lean onto the wall, but that wasn’t going to help him up too much, he would have to push up like how Ash did. So, he got himself on one wobbly knee, placed his hands on either side of his foot, and, ‘tried’ to push himself up, and failed, and failed again, and again, and again, and with a surge of frustration pushed himself up and was up! And went down just as fast onto his bottom again. There was a shadow above him, he looked, and Ash was right there, holding out a hand for him to hold, “Come on, you can do it.”

Blinking frustration from his eyes, Gary took Ash’s hand, Ash helping him get back onto his feet, Gary’s very, very wobbly feet, their faces were smushed right together, cheek to cheek – “OhmygodAshwe’removingwe’removingwe’removing” –

“It’s okay, I’ve got you, I’ve got you, you’re doing great” –

“We’re slipping!”

“No, we’re skating! You’re doing great Gary!”

Albeit all Gary was doing was clinging onto Ash and Ash was holding onto Gary, and they were just moving with the friction of the ice –

_“I’m going to fall I’m going to fall” –_

“Then fall! I’m going to be right here to pick you back up, I promise” –

Gary pined against Ash like a whining Growlithe as the couple just slid on the ice like a sliding, shaking porcelain figure.

 _"This is so embarrassing,"_ Gary gave a sniffle, _"I'm terrible like this, just terrible" -_

"Shshshshsh, no you're not, nobody is perfect, c'mon, bend your legs a little, there, I’m going to push off now okay? Just hold onto me with one hand alright? Let’s see how far we get” –

“Yeah, I’m going to get from your face to the ground” –

“I’m going to let go of you now, just hold onto my hand okay? Ready?”

“No, but just do it, I’ll never get this otherwise” –

“I know, here we go!” Ash let go of Gary and Gary let go of him, each only connected with one hand, and Ash pulled Gary along with him, _slowly,_ Gary’s legs threatening to lock, but he kept them bent – “Keep your body loose too, it’ll help with your balance, just feel it out, get that sense in your gut, listen to it, let your ability to stand on two legs adjust to this, it’s different, and that’s okay, you love learning things right? Right now you’re learning how to skate, and you’re learning like a boss!”

_“Cheese and crackers Ash just write the speech for the next Miss Universe why don’t you?”_

Ash laughed, _“My Pouty Mc Poutums,”_ Ash let go of Gary’s hand and kicked back ahead of him, forcing Gary to carry the momentum all on his own – and Gary, suddenly finding himself gliding on the friction of the ice all alone, froze up for a second, “Keep loose Gary!”

And Gary did, he was still up, he was still skating, even though it was just him sliding, he was moving, he was doing it! He was doing it! All by himself!

“Aww Gary, I’m so proud! Come on, keep going!” Ash kicked back further, “Come on Gary! Just go with it! Make that leap!”

So Gary kicked forward a little, just enough to keep the momentum going.

“Great Gary! Again! Again!”

So Gary kicked again, moving a little faster to Ash, his balance wasn’t the prettiest by far, but he was getting the hang of it!

“Come on Gary! Leap of faith! Come to me!” Ash flung open his arms, “Come to your Ashy!”

With that, Gary gathered himself and kicked forward again, much stronger his time! He skated right up into Ash’s arms, Gary wrapping his own arms around Ash, their bodies met flush, and in the moment, Ash suddenly felt Gary’s lips on his, and his back hitting lightly against the rink siding.

The both of them stood there, Gary giving the kiss one deep measure, pushing Ash a little into the siding before pulling away, Ash’s eyes fluttering open, just on the cusp of completely getting lost with Gary. He looked up into a much loving look from Gary, and gave him a smile in return, “Hmmmm~ See? I knew you could do it.” Ash could feel that Gary wasn’t wobbly anymore.

Gary, leaned down and nuzzled Ash, “…..Thanks Ash, for this, for, all of it…..My legs are _killing_ me.”

Ash chuckled, “Yeah, ice skating is a great workout!”

“I'm being totally honest right now Ash, I think I’m done for tonight, I’m really, really tired, but again, thank-you for this.”

“Do you want to come back and skate some more later?”

Gary nuzzled Ash once more, “Only if we’re alone again.”

“You got it. Let’s get going then.”

Ash didn’t think they would stay too long, but he was hoping they’d have the opportunity to stay out just a little bit longer, however given how it was starting to snow outside, the fates deemed it best they had left when they did because by the time they got home, the snow was really packing into the heart of Kanto.

They both showered, threw on a night shirt and pants, and Ash got some hot cocoa going. “Want me to put in a movie?” Ash asked.

“Sure, but no promises I’m going to make it through the whole thing,” Gary stretched himself out onto the couch, “My god I’m going to pass out right now.” After drinking the hot cocoa and Ash getting the movie started, Gary did just that as he had nestled himself into Ash’s lap, becoming his own sleeping beauty apart from the movie.

Ash was in the middle of putting a small braid in Gary’s hair as Gary rested against him, but the moment Ash felt Gary’s weight completely settle, he knew Gary was gone.

Ash hoped that Gary would have held out a little bit longer to at least see the scene where the three Good Ribombees were squabbling, _it was teeth achingly cute_. Gary may not have been into princess movies as much as they were when they were kids, but if one happened to get a good score on the review savvy Rotten Tamato Berries website, he’d give it a go, as was supposed to be the case with this film, *But here you are,* Ash thought, *Asleep. Hmp~* Ash nuzzled Gary and Gary in his sleep nuzzled right back.

Given though, Gary had quite the past week. Between sorting out a small meltdown at the lab (literally, a hard drive melted, not fun, much suckage – great reminder why paper records are still a thing), a League banquet (cause to socialize, Gary is suave, an entertainer when needed – buuuuuut adulthood has sent much of that energy into work, shoo shoo admirers unless you want to hear the complete breakdown of the genome of a Caterpie), and Ash’s Master Candidates matches peppered throughout the week itself (much screaming but much happy screaming from Gary watching his baby stomp the daylights out of every challenger – oh you want to Toxic* my angel? HA – PROTECT*, FIRE BLAST* BUH-BYE!), Gary’s people points, as the couple came to call it, was down in the negatives, and thus recharging would come at an agitated price, hence why Ash took Gary to the ice rink in the dead of night with no judgey pants eyes to give Gary’s brain something else to chew on instead of chewing up himself, because that just made perfect sense, and somehow it all worked out alright in the end.

Ash knows his baby can get stressed, he knows Gary can do a great job of knocking himself down when all he wanted to do was get up. So, Ash hoped that tonight, would really ‘break the ice’ on that, Ash was here, and would continue to be here.

The movie was just to help finish out their night, to help Ash’s beloved relax - really relax, not just be exhausted, and relax he did, Gary was snoring now.

Ash ran his hand through Gary’s hair, watching his lover sleep on his chest as it rose and fell. Gary nuzzled into him, mumbling incoherent whispers into him, breathed into him.

Ash leaned down, and whispered to Gary’s sleeping form, “I love you.”

Ash traced the features of Gary’s face with his finger, light enough as to not disturb him, and by the time Ash looked up again, the movie credits were rolling.

“Myrinse……muhprice…….’elp me……help me.”

“Gary?”

Ash sat himself up, careful with his legs on the outside of Gary while his arms wrapped around Gary’s waist, “Gary, Gary, babe, wake up, sh-sh-sh-shhhh, I’m right here, I’m right here.”

Gary’s eyes fluttered open, his body giving a small jolt, but settled just as quickly and with a deep breath of reality, “Bluh,” was all Gary uttered.

“Bad dream?”

“Poo dream,” slurred Gary, “Poo poo _puuuuuuuuuuuuuuu._ ”

Ash moved to lay himself back down on the couch, letting Gary get into an even more comfortable position on top of him, “Well its all over now, you’re back here with me.” Ash petted Gary all down his back as Gary stretched out against him giving a guttural groan that reverberated through into Ash’s chest and stomach, sending a tickled chill up Ash’s spine. “Comfortable?”

Gary muttered something incoherent, adjusting himself to sleep better on top of Ash.

“Have I ever told you what a great butt you have?”

Ash could feel Gary chuckle against him.

“I mean, you suddenly present me with this great view of you – like you are in perfect position for bongo playing, shall I initiate some form of lovey-dovey time?”

Gary couldn’t stifle his quick smirking laughter if he tried, his words still slurred, “I want to sweetheart, rheelyI do, but I’m justtooti-herd righ’now.”

That still wouldn’t sedate Ash’s inner child, with a single finger, Ash touched Gary’s buttcheek, “Boop~”

“Mh-mh,” Gary tut-tutted, but Ash could feel Gary smiling against his chest.

“Okay, okay, then, no more,” and Ash kissed once, kissed twice, kissed three times to Gary’s head, making Gary curl up further against him as if his heart had suddenly become too exposed to a chilling threat, and in turn, Ash’s pulled him closer, “I’ve got you Gary.”

Gary looked to Ash with a sleepy, sleepy face, and Ash looked back at him in a rare moment where all of Gary’s defenses were completely down. Lately however, these defenseless nights were becoming more common. A smile spread across Gary’s face as he let his head rest against Ash’s chest, eyebrows furrowed in sincere thought, “You’ve got me, huh?”

Ash nodded, “I’ve got you, and I’ll protect you! Like how Prince Phillip fought a dragon for Aurora, or how Tiana stood up to the Shadow Man for her dream with Naveen, I’ll rise to any challenge for you as a Prince or a Princess!”

Gary looked at Ash with eyes half lidded, every swig of Ash’s declaration serving Gary up positively drunk on love.

“Hm~ Youknow I’d like tuhsee you in’eels, scaling a mountain, none wouldbe able to match your high-ssssssssstep” –

 _“Pssshhhhh,_ no one can match it now!”

Gary chuckled against Ash, sending happy vibrations throughout the both of them, and planted a sloppy kiss square on Ash’s chest, Gary finally settling to where he could hear Ash’s heart beating, “This, bis righ’ ‘ere, nub’hinbuetsssssss…”

He fell asleep! Gary had fallen asleep mid sentence against Ash, and Ash lamented that his phone was just out of reach and he couldn’t take a picture to savor this precious moment forever. So Ash watched him, taking it all in, making a special mental note of just how adorable Gary looked right now, virtually angelic sleeping against him, making Ash’s heart burst with beams and beams of affection, “Oh Gary.....I love you more than anything in the world," so Ash gave Gary’s nose one more boop~ And with that, Ash settled himself back on the couch, holding his dearly beloved, and joined him in sleep as the world outside was blanketed in snow.


End file.
